Reporting harassment

[CosmicTea]

Someone has sent me an SMS even though I have asked them never to contact me again. The message (a photo) I've received is seemingly innocuous to an outsider, however it's a reference to something romantic which means that he is still thinking about me in an obsessive/creepy way.

I stupidly didn't save a copy of my last message where I asked him to never contact me again. That was 12 months ago and I've heard nothing since then so I thought the issue had gone away.

The police website says it can be reported as harassment if it happens more than two times.

1. What evidence will they ask for? I don't have evidence of the last one, so I'm thinking that I can't report now and will need to wait until it happens again? I am thinking of sending another warning to say that if he contacts me again or tries to come near me then I will be reporting him to the police. And then follow through if/when he does.

1. Will the police take seriously someone sending me an unwanted message or photo even if that image/message is seemingly innocuous on the surface (not abusive or overtly sexual)?

I am concerned about his obsessively romantic fixation on me. Luckily I live many miles away and he doesn't know my address.

This is what the police website says;
"Harassment may include:
-sending abusive text messages or images
-posting abusive messages on social media
-neighbour disputes that involve abusive behaviour or damage to property
-repeated antisocial behaviour
-making unwanted or offensive phone calls
It's harassment if the unwanted behaviour has happened two times or more and made you feel distressed or threatened."

Any help welcomed, particularly from anyone that has reported harassment before.

One message in a year isn’t harassment. Can’t you just block the number?

Just to be clear the order of events:

A year ago: Creepy behaviour and messages over several weeks. I tell him to never contact me again. I delete all our messages and block him from social media.
Today: He contacts me with a photo

"It's harassment if the unwanted behaviour has happened two times or more and made you feel distressed or threatened."

Do I feel distressed enough to report this? I feel very creeped out, especially given that I told him not to contact me and he is a creepy person and he is clearly still thinking about me. Is this enough to report now or do I need to wait until he does it again?

Can you not read?

OP screenshot the message and block him. Anything else, police.

I tried to block him last year. He managed to contact me though a different channel and was very threatening and manipulative, crying down the phone (I had only know him for three weeks). He begged me not to block him on whatsapp. He promised that he would stop contacting me if I promised not to block him. I was fearful about him trying to find my home address if I blocked him, so didn't and I'm still worried about that.

Yes I can read, the OP says he hasn’t messaged her in a year. This is one message. I drew the same conclusion as you though, to block him, so I’m not sure why the ‘can you not read?’ comment.

TBH I think you’re going to struggle to get taken seriously with no evidence of other messages and one message a year later.

Block the number and if it carries on, then it’s time for the police.

I would think that the time to call the police is if the perp persists after you've done what you can (safely) to put an end to the unwanted contact. Good idea to take a screenshot of the message just in case, but blocking his number could solve the problem permanently. Supposing he kept acquiring new phone numbers and messaging you repeatedly, that could become a police matter.
You are obviously scared and triggered by seeing the message, but it doesn't mean that trying to involve the police would make you feel any better. Probably they would do nothing, but if the man was contacted by the police it may please him to think you were that bothered.